PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: For those getting a prostate biopsy....

First-get your biospy. It's the most important thing you can do to get yourself treated to move past this difficult time. I'm just sharing info on my prostate cancer biopsy experience from a newby.

Things my doctor didn't tell me...

Yes, they told me to expect some blood when you urinate and poop for a few days after the biopsy But, they never mentioned blood when you ejaculate. Holy murder-was that incredibly disturbing. It's a lot of blood too, much more than urination. Goes on for a while too, but gets better over a few days (eventually changes color from bright red to a muted maroon and then goes away) So, be forewarned.

A positive is that they do a very good job at numbing you up before inserting the probe up your butt as you lay your side. They position the probe using a sonogram-like machine. Inside the probe is a spring-loaded needle that you don't really feel much because of the numbing shot, which I wholly appreciate. But, you can totally feel the pressure as they press the probe against your prostate...and then shortly after, they trigger the spring-loaded needle. So, after the first needle jab , I was wincing, awaiting the inevitable spring sound for the needle jab. So, it's more the sound than the actual poke that plays with your head. It's kind of akin to getting a glaucoma test at the eye doctor as you wait for the little poof of air...but, yeah, a whole lot different.

They had me take some valium before the procedure because I not a person enjoys things up my butt and tense up. I don't know if the valium helped or not, but guessing it made things better. Valium didn't affect me much, but I did feel sleepy later.

I'll also mention that I was under the impression that for most biopsies they do 12-15 core pokes. Mine was 24...so the whole time, I was like....OK, no doubt, they definitely know its cancer. Maybe they do more than the 12-15 as standard practice now, but it was what I had read.

Another thing I experienced is that even though I didn't need to get up at night to urinate, pre-procedure, I definitely did have to get up at night after the procedure for a while. I think it's because your prostate is angry after having 24 freaking holes poked in it. The good news is that settled down after a week or two. (yes, I"m fortunate not to have such an enlarged prostate that I have get up through the night).

So, perhaps you all get more info ahead of time...but that was my experience.

Big picture; You need the biopsy to get information because they can treat you and save your life. In my case, they found where the cancer was located and you want all the information you can get.

Extra factoid I just learned: You always hear that the size of prostate is the size of a walnut (20-30 cc). But that is only for men under the age of 30. But, by the age of 60, the prostate typically will grow to the size of a lemon or tennis ball (40-50 cc). In my case, I was 45cc. There's lots of variability by individual. But, yeah, a walnut sounds small. A tennis ball in your pelvis is definitely going to affect things. The good news is that an enlarged prostate does not mean you have cancer.

I figure knowledge may not be power as patients, but it does help you process what is happening.